Reviews by Contagion:

It pours a dark brown color with a reddish tint to it. Light passes through easily enough, but the beer is dark enough that you can't make out images through it. It reminds me of a cola when looking at it in the glass. As it is labeled a stout, I figured it would be a bit thicker and darker in than it was. A light tan head formed and faded rather quickly. There was barely a film on the top by the time I took my first sip. There is minimal lacing on the side of the glass.

The smell is an almost over powering scent of cherries, both sweet and tart. The cherry scent pretty much overpowers the rest of the scents. If you concentrate you can make out dark roasted malt and a hint of oak. The combination gives the hint of a vanilla scent. The scent is almost soft drink sweet. The taste is pretty much like the scent. The near overpowering flavor of both sweet candied cherries as well as the more tart pie cherries almost masks the rest of the flavors. As the beer warms closer to room temperature you can taste some chocolate malts and a hint of the oak barrel it was aged in.

This is a medium bodied beer with a light carbonation.

I really don't know if I can call this beer a stout. Its body is too light and the flavors too sweet. The standard roasted malt flavor that is synonymous with stouts is lost behind the fruit flavor of this beer. It's more of a light porter or a black ale. Really drinking this is like someone made a beer flavored cherry cola. I'll be honest that it is a little bit sweeter than I normally prefer, but it isn't bad. I don't know if I could handle drinking more than one or two of them at a time, but they do go down easy. I don't think it's a good stout, but as a beer in general it's okay. (1,732 characters)

More User Reviews:

Smell - The strong cherry liquer is backed up by some very stiff burnt malts. This is quite surprising - a Fruit Beer with some balls.

Taste - The flavor will knock you on your keester. The cherry is big but it's not like a fresh cherry. It's more like that black cherry flavor you find in some sodas. There's an earthy flavor too like soil that is very tasty.

Mouthfeel - This is a smidgen bigger than light-bodied with a surprising sense of alcohol as it probably is as boozy as a cough drop.

Drinkability - This is by no means sessionable but it managed to stay out of the sink, which is quite an accomplishment for a Fruit Beer. (700 characters)

Amber brown with a ruby-red translucence. Thin crown with solid retention and average lacing.

Aroma is rich in that wonderful Belgian Red Cherry fruit. Initially, however, that delicious nose is overwhelmed by a whiskiness from the oak barrels. This aroma seems off and disconscerting to me. Its sour and repugnant, wreaking of overfermentation, rotten fruit, and tannins. My mind tells me that this may be an acquirable taste. At any rate, this less than desirable odor reduces over time leaving only the wonderful cherries and a few hints of chocolate malts.

Taste is also similar to the Belgian Red but with a much sweeter front and a subtle roasted quality that makes way for a pinch of cocoa. There is more in here that I will have to reflect on and add later after a few (read dozen) more bottles.

Mouthfeel is not particularly stout like, however it behaves with such splendor that I couldnt care less. All of the magnificent qualities of the Belgian Red are here. The tartness, the rich mouth coating feel, and the brilliant sourness from the cherries. Body is near full and very creamy. Carbonation is mild-medium.

Drinkability is flawless. I am impressed as expected by NGs latest fruit beer. They are the kings of the style. (1,256 characters)

It pours a dark garnet color. A tiny dark khaki head quickly dies and only a few bubbles are left around the rim of the glass. The highlights around the edges are just a brilliant bright red.

An overwhelming fresh tart cherry aroma rise from the glass. The smell is instantly recognizable as very similar to Belgian Red. It's almost exactly the same profile just less sweet and just the lightest touch of kilned malt.

Once again the flavor has huge parallels to Belgian Red. Its a tart cherry bomb with seemingly more oakiness than Belgian Red. After the inital wave of fruit flavor hit the mouth a ever so subtle kilned malt, roasty stout character come through but its so mild it can be easily missed and really the cherry is the star of the show in this beer.

The mouthfeel is one of the best I've ever felt. It has a great silky smoothness. The beer looks pretty lifeless in the glass but when swished around in the mouth it comes alive and seemingly coats the mouth with a rich fruit beer.

The beer is quite sweet like most of the New Glarus fruit beers which really hampers drinkability but i can't see wanting more than the 12 oz. bottle.

I really enjoyed this beer and am glad to see it is categorized under fruit/vegetable category. My only problem is the name. This beer doesn't really have any hard resemblance to a stout. I think this beer would score much higher if it was named Belgian Red Dunkel. (1,456 characters)

New Glarus ages the beer in oak to bring on some spontaneous fermentation.

Garnet hue off of a very deep brown color, pretty light looking for a Stout, yet the head flaunts it like any other Stout. Pours a decent-size head that doesn't retain much, but it sticks around for the duration. Big cherry-juice aroma, mild malt and even milder roasted notes in the nose. Moderate body, a little thin with a slick and smooth mouthfeel. Lots of cherry juice sweetness to deal with; taste buds are left waiting for any real Stout-like roasted flavor. Hops are on mute with very little bitterness or flavor. Cherry flavor is domi- nant and sweet from start to finish.

Where is the Stout? There is a glimpse of a dark beer within, but nothing more. We know this was their intention, but neither the oak nor the spontaneous fermentation make any real appearance. Not half bad, but the cherry and weak Stout character have no real depth and simply make a sweet ale. (1,013 characters)

The Unplugged Cherry Stout pours from the 12oz bottle a deep dark brown with a garnet hue. A small actively bubbly light tan head sits atop the brew. Looks nice in the glass, but doesn't really appear like a stout normally would. Aromas begin with a blast of tart, sour cherry that literally jumps out of the glass. Sweetness is there too with only a light roastiness and a touch of chocolate underneath. The cherry really dominates the aroma here.

First sip brings a rush of sweet and sour cherry flavors along with a nice roasty maltiness. A touch of chocolate is there along with a nice bit of oak flavor. Flows down a bit acidic with a bit of a sour twang. Overall this is a tasty brew. Seems like a mix of Belgian Red and a light stout..I found it to be quite enjoyable.

Mouthfeel is smooth and really fairly light for a stout. It has a decent sturdy body, but doesn't ever reach what I would consider stout status. Goes down easily, but is a touch acidic. Overall, I could see myself having a few of these but that would probably be it. An interesting brew for sure...just wish it had stronger stout qualities. I always enjoy drinking these Unplugged beers..can't wait to try the Enigma next! (1,204 characters)

Picked up a sixer of this from the local market while in New Glarus.
Black cherry in color with less than a half finger of light tan head...very carbonated and disappears very rapidly, leaving a thin coating...lacing is thin and short lived.
Tart cherries in the nose with a bit of chocolate malt to balance it out.
The flavor is very much a fruit beer and not a stout style...tastfully tart with a boatload of cherries, but lacking in that rich, complex mouthfeel that I want from something calling itself a stout.
Mouthfeel is thin and a bit overcarbonated.
I do like the flavor of this beer and have no problems draining a pint or two, but leaves me wanting more from higher expectations of the style.
You want a cherry stout, hit up Bell's...if you want a refreshing fruit beer with a bit more to offer, this one would do just fine. (842 characters)

Beer pours a dark ruby brown in color with about an inch of off-white head leaving spotty lacing. Sour cherry pie in the aroma with hints of chocolate hidden beneath as well as some barnyard smells. Taste starts out with tart cherries, with chocolate and oak flavors in the middle, and then cherries again, it feels like it's constantly changing while on your palate. Each drink keeps you guessing wondering if it will do something else. Medium body with pretty low carbonation. Get some before it's gone. (578 characters)

The beer pours a reddish-amber color with a white head. The aroma is full of very sweet cherries. The flavor is very similar. There is a ton of cherry syrup, as well a some lightly roasted malt. Overall, the beer is very sweet. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. (322 characters)

S-Wow-cherries! I think this has as much cherry aroma as the Belgian Red. There is a faint hint of a stout in there but this is definitely fruity vs. roasted malt.

T-Once again the cherry taste is strong, however the end note is definitely stout (roasted malt) but is weak. This beer is fairly sweet. The combo is bit like smoked cherry wood. Hints of sour cherries are present in the finish. A very interesting and unique taste.

M-Moderate to high levels of tingly carbonation. Body is on the low to medium side for a stout. Ends quick and tingly, very low in malt bitterness. NO alcohol bite.

D-This is tasty, very light and drinkable.

O-This is definitely a fruit forward beer. Unique and worth seeking out! One of my favorites from NG. (877 characters)

Poured cold from the bottle. This beer is a dark, red, cloudy colour with a minimal head. The smell was that of tart cherries with a hint of chocolate. The smell was also very sweet and malty. The taste was a very tart cherry that moved to a sweet, chocolate, mellow finish that lingered on the tongue for a bit.

A dark brown with ruby throughout, and a moderately sized very light brown head that eventually leaves dots of stick to the glass. It already doesn't look like much of a stout, though that being said, it doesn't look like any fruit beer I'd ever tried before either. Unique.

The aroma is very fruit-forward, with fresh cherry juice and earthy cherry skins dominating. There's perhaps just the very faintest hint of roast, but the cherries are dominant and smell very nice.

The flavor too is very fruit-forward; this ain't no stout. This has lots of sweet, nearly syrupy, cherry flavor. There's not a lot other than cherry flavor, surprisingly, especially with the word "stout" on the front of the bottle.

Medium bodied with high carbonation--very appropriate for this fruit beer.

As a fruit beer, it's quite lovely. As a stout--well, it isn't at all a stout. An interesting beer to have to review, but it was delicious, and, in the end, that's all that really matters. (1,033 characters)

A thinner body, yet still black stout. Mild head. Big cherry aroma. No other brewery does cherry better than NG.

Thin malt bill (dehusked malt to allow color but not the typical thickness or chewiness?) allows for an amazing plethora of cherry sensation coupled with mild and dry roasting in a stout. Love it. Provides some vanilla as a sidekick to cherry.

I remember how much people hated vanilla coke when it came back, this is like vanilla cherry stout. Instead of cherry vanilla soda, this is a mild stout with some woodiness complimenting the cherry and vanilla. The cherry is huge here, and no doubt, has turned some people off who just don't like cherries or even fruit in their beer. The ever so mild tartness is a further plus. Maybe a little thin in the mouthfeel for a traditional stout, but this is not a traditional stout. This was Melange before Melange was Melange.

I would love some kind of collaboration between these guys and the Bruery for a very special Unplugged Cherry Chocolate Rain. I mean, I love both beers, but this could use some bulking up (pretty confidant Black Tuesday could do that) and CCR could use more cherries, and these dudes are the cherry masters. (1,194 characters)

A- This beer has a deep brown body that lets a faint about of light through and looks clear but pretty opaque. The head is a light tan and sounds like a soda pop and last about as long.

S- The smell of old oak has hints of vanilla and rain with an earthy dark cherry note in the finish.

T- This beer has a big old musty oak flavor with notes of earth, wood and vanilla. The finish is a sour dark cherry note that makes my jaws lock up a bit.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a slight slippery texture.

D-This is a nice oaky cherry beer but I think they forgot to put the stout in my bottle. There are dark malt flavors or and roasted or toasted notes at all. This is big on cherries and oak, which I like but I was really hoping for the malt characteristics to balance out the flavors. (847 characters)

Poured a dark brown color with maybe a hint of reddish color to it. Just a bit of beige head on it. Smell is heavy cherries, can't pick up much else. Lots of cherry taste on the front end. Very bubbley mouthfeel. I guess there is some good lacing around the glass. Very light mouthfeel. I really like this beer. Can't wait to get some more. (340 characters)

#BOTG 55! Poured from bottle into Brooklyn tulip. Pours a dark dark blood red/brown color, almost no head at all. Visible small bubbles come up from the bottom of the glass. Smell- like I am sticking my nose into the cherry tank of a soda fountain machine. Chemically, syrupy, artificial smelling cherries. Maybe a little bit of port wine smell mingled with maybe some chocolate. Not a great aroma. Taste- really sharp carbonation, this pretty much tastes like a cherry Dr. Pepper having sex with a chocolate truffle cheap candy you would get in a shitty box of valentines day candy. The mouthfeel is thin, and really there is nothing "stout" about this beer at all. Mediocre, a disappointment from a brewery I wanted to get more exposure to that I know is capable of beers way better than this. This will go down the drain in favor of something different tonight. (864 characters)

A - poured about three quarter inch of loose and fluffy foam, offwhite with a slight pinkish hue to it. the beer is very dark ruby colored. head dissipates rather quickly falling to a thin film with spotty lacing.

S - starts off with semi-sweet, very tart cherries. struggling to get past the fruit is some very light milk chocolate and slightly roasted malts. smells a good bit like a cherry Tootsie Pop.

T - cherries again, very fresh and slightly tart. reminiscent of cherry syrup used in a Shirley Temple. not much "stout" to it...just very subtle chocolate and earthy balance at the end.

M - thinnish bodied, a bit slick going down but leaves the mouth feeling a bit prickly and dry. carbonation is just about perfect.

D - liked this one much, much more than i thought i would. love the fresh fruit tastes coming from New Glarus beers. not a whole lot of stout to it, but nice and refreshing, pleasant. well done. (972 characters)